Spiced Pineapple Cupcakes
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These moist and fluffy cupcakes are infused with candied pineapple and a blend of spices giving each bite a sweet and lightly spiced flavor. Topped with a creamy pineapple buttercream frosting these cupcakes deliver a perfect balance of fruity brightness and spice.
Pineapple is one of those ingredients that I really enjoy but I usually only eat it plain.  We will often cut up a fresh pineapple and just snack on it all day long.
There are some times I do cook or bake with pineapple but usually that’s with canned pineapple. My most popular pineapple recipe is Baked Pineapple and it’s great at the holidays. I also make a really tasty Pineapple Slaw to go with pork tacos. When I want a cocktail Pineapple Margaritas are sweet and just a little bit tart.
 I recently picked up some Paradise Candied Tropical Pineapple and I couldn’t wait to bake up a treat with it! I was thinking of making a cake or cupcakes and ended up going with the cupcakes.
While I usually make my own cupcake base, occasionally I take a boxed cake mix and doctor it up instead. For these cupcakes I used a yellow cake mix but you could also use a white cake mix as well.
How to Doctor a boxed cake mix:
- Substitute milk for the water. You will be doing a 1:1 substitution. You can use regular milk or a plant based version. I prefer whole milk.
- Add an extra egg to the batter. Most box cake mixes use 3 eggs so add in a fourth egg.
- Use melted butter in place of the oil. You can even increase the butter by a few tablespoons.
- Add a box of pudding mix. Trust me on this, it will enhance the flavor. Choose a flavors that pairs well with your cake mix flavor.
- Use vanilla yogurt or sour cream in place of the water in the recipe.
- Add vanilla or almond extract to give the cake additional flavor.
I also think that pineapple pairs well with spices so I added in a bit of cinnamon to the batter as well.  I chose cinnamon and allspice but you can use nutmeg or ginger as well.
I ended up chopping up the candied pineapple and putting it in the batter as well so that there were big chunks of pineapple through the cupcakes.
Can I use fresh or canned pineapple?
You can but it’s going to add a lot of moisture to your cupcakes so I would reduce the amount of milk from 1 cup to 2/3 cup in the recipe if you add a cup of chopped fresh or canned pineapple.
Ingredients:
- yellow or white cake mix
- salted butter (or unsalted if you prefer)
- eggs
- milk (I use whole milk but you can use plant based)
- vanilla extract (optional but delicious)
- candied pineapple
- cinnamon
- allspice
To make the cupcakes preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners and set aside.
In a large bowl mix together the cake mix, butter, eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and allspice. Mix well.  Fold in the candied pineapple.
Use a 4 Tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups and bake for 20 minutes.Â
These cupcakes were really light and fluffy with a burst of sweet pineapple flavor. The candied pineapple pieces added to both the flavor and texture.
The buttercream frosting is flavored with pineapple juice which also adds to the pineapple flavor of the cupcakes. You can dye it yellow or leave it white.
How do you store the cupcakes?
Store the cupcakes in a cupcake carrier or other air tight container for up to 4 days.  Before frosting these cupcakes can be wrapped in plastic wrap and placed in a freezer bag then frozen for up to 6 months.
Spiced Pineapple Cupcakes
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
- 1 box 13.25 oz yellow or white cake mix
- 1/2 cup salted butter melted
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice optional
- 8 oz. candied pineapple chopped
For the Frosting:
- 1 cup butter softened
- 3 Tablespoons pineapple juice
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 muffin tins with cupcake liners and set aside.
- In a large bowl combine the cake mix, melted butter, eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and allspice. Whisk until mostly smooth.
- Fold in the candied pineapple.
- Fill the muffin cups 3/4 of the way full (I like to use a 4 Tablespoon cookie scoop to do this).
- Bake for 18-20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on wire rack.
- To make the frosting beat the butter in a large bowl. Add in the pineapple juice and vanilla and blend until smooth.
- Add the powdered sugar, a half cup at a time, beating after each addition, until desired consistency is reached.
- Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes. Top with a candied pineapple or cherry if desired.
Notes
